Outstanding event in Columbus

On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I would like to congratulate and thank the members of the Columbus Bar Association and the Fountain City Bar Association for their partnership in sponsoring a successful Black History Month program Feb. 29 at the Columbus Public Library.

The program featured a reflection on the efforts of local barber Primus King, beginning in the 1940s, to ensure the right to vote for African American citizens in Muscogee County. We also salute U.S. District Court Judge Clay D. Land and Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit Chief Deputy Assistant District Attorney Al Whitaker, who were the panelists for the educational session, along with Assistant District Attorney Pete Temesgen, who served as moderator.

All Georgia lawyers and judges can be inspired by our Columbus colleagues’ continued commitment to working together to recognize major contributions in their community’s history, which in turn serves to promote the cause of justice and uphold the integrity of the legal profession in our state.

Details, details

According to the Ledger-Enquirer of March 8, 2016, Georgia lawmakers are set to allow licensed gun owners to carry concealed weapons on college campuses. This law would not apply at athletic facilities, student housing, including fraternity or sorority housing. This law may pose a problem to those students who choose to take advantage of this newly created right-to-carry as well as law enforcement.

With the law specifying that the carry law does not apply to sanctioned student housing, what is to be done with the weapon in case the owner actually needs to sleep or take advantage of his dormitory room to study? Or will carry holders be banned from university sanctioned housing to off-campus housing? And if the carry holder is lucky enough to own a car, would this be place to store the weapon during sleeping hours? This would certainly ease the problem of illegally obtaining a weapon.

Fresh faces, ideas

Every citizen in this great country of the United States of America has the constitutional and moral right to vote. I sub-categorize this as freedom of speech. It is in jeopardy.

Vote for the preferred candidate of choice regardless of what side of the aisle you are on. As of now, Hillary Clinton is the leading preferred choice on the Democratic side and Donald Trump on the Republican side. If both individuals garner the required majority of delegates, they (because of the “we the people” voice) will receive their party’s nominations to represent them in the general election (supposedly).

The news media (newspaper, web-sites, and television) report that the RNC/GOP is making plans for a “brokered convention.” This is whether Mr. Trump gets the required delegate count or not. In my opinion, the RNC/GOP is boycotting Mr. Trump and refuses to support/accept the “we the people” voice. Other well-known Republicans (i.e., Mitt “the loser” Romney and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell-RINO) are included. There is talk that they want Paul Ryan as their choice. This is the establishment saying “We don’t/care what you want. We have our own choice.”

Here again we are being bullied. This is why I am a strong advocate/supporter of term limits for all elected officials (both by the voice of “we the people” and chosen by the President). This includes our illustrious Supreme Court justices. Many working Americans would love to have a guaranteed full/life time job. My vision is four years minimum with a maximum of eight years just like the President. When the President leaves office, so do all elected officials. Voters – it is now time for “real change.” It is time for career politicians to hit the door.

Traffic snarls

I am writing concerning two traffic issues in down town Columbus.

The first is the intersection at 11th Street and 6th Avenue. There was never a traffic light at this intersection until the completion of the sewer system in the area. These lights only impede the flow of traffic. Before this light traffic moving west from the viaduct could make a right turn onto 6th Avenue would not have to stop. Now traffic is backing up while there is little or no traffic on 6th avenue. Traffic moving east on 11th Street has to stop at 6th Avenue because there is no right turn on red yet little or no traffic is moving on 6th avenue. This makes no sense; however, there is a simple solution. A flashing yellow for 11th Street traffic and a flashing red for 6th Avenue and take down the no turn on red signs. The light on 11th Street and 5th Avenue should also be blinking yellow for 11th Street and red for 5th Avenue. The next issue is more of a question. What happened to the reasons for changing 10th Street from two way to one way now that they are changing the one way back to two way?

This story was originally published March 14, 2016 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Outstanding event in Columbus."